Vehicle signal



F. M. VANSICKLE Jan, 3, 1928.

VEHICLE SIGNAL Filed Dec. 24, 1924 Fred M \lv/ra/t/me (mommy IIIIJIJI-IIIIIIJIIIIIIII. Y

Patented Jan. 3, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,654,564 PATENT OFFICE.

FRED M. VANSICKLE, OI GLACKAHAS, OREGON, ASSIGNOB OI ONE-HALF T LESTER GUTCHES, OF CLACKAMAS, OREGON.

VEHICLE SIGNAL.

Application filed December 84, 1984. Serial No. 757,894.

My present invention relates to improvements in vehicle signals for use on automotive vehicles and of the ty 0 involving a casing adapted to be illuminated for the purpose of indicating motion and direction of travel of the Vehicle or automdbila' The invention is embodied in the structure of a casing having several compartments and indications or signs and provided with means for illuminating a selected indicator or sign.

By the utilization of my invention I pro.- vide a lamp casing or structure which may with facility be attached to the windshield or other support of a vehicle and which em.- bodies certain novel features and combinations and arrangements of parts whereby the device may be manufactured with facility at low cost. Means are provided whereby ready access may be had to the several lamps of the device when required for repair or adjustment, and the whole structure involves features which co-act to insure a reliable and eificient means for signaling the intention of a vehicle driver as to motion and direction.

In the accompan ing drawings I have illustrated one comp ete example of the physical embodiment of my invention wherein the parts are combined and arranged according to the best mode I have thus far devised for the practical application of the prmciples of my invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a portion of an automobile windshield with the device of my invention attached thereto in operative position.

Figure 2 is an enlar ed vertical sectional view at one corner of t e rectangular casing showing the detachable lamps and their supporting panel, and a portion of the interior arrangement of the casing.

Figure 3 is a pers ective view of one of the horizontal partitions of the casing used to form compartments therein.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the si al casing.

i re 5 is an enlarged horizontal sectiona view at one corner of the casing showing an illuminating lamp, its holder or supporting plate, and a colored glass plate surroundin the lamp.

In or er that the general arrangement and relation of parts may readily be understood I have indicated in Figure 1 a portion of an automobile windshield at 1 wi its support or post 2. The signal casing, which is of rectangular shape, is indicated as a whole by the numeral 3 and is supported from the post 2 by means of a bracket arm 4 and clamp device 5, in such position that the several signals as Head"Left Right and Stop may be observed by pedestrians or motorists. These signals or indications for motion and direction are provided on the four sides of the casing and are visible by day and illuminated by night, in selective manner, as will be described.

The casing is provided with fours lass panels or sides as 6 upon which the in ications above referred to are carried, and these panels may be ground glass with transparent letters, or the letters may be ground glass with contrasting surrounding surfaces, or' other distinguishing means may be emplo ed for the signals or indications. The g ass panels are retained in place by the use of three corner posts 7, and the casing has a removable top 8 and fixed bottom 9.

The interior of the casing is divided into four compartments corresponding to the four traflic indications, and for this purpose I utilize three horizontal partitions as 10, 11 and 12. These partitions are made up of metal stamped in the form of rectangular plates, preferably formed with rounded corners to engage the posts 7, and fashioned with'legs 13 and feet 14 at three of the corners. The lowermost partition rests with its feet upon the bottom of the casing and the succeeding partitions have their feet resting upon the preceding partitions as indicated in Figure 3. v

The partitions are removable and are successively deposited in the casing in their properpositlon, through the open to of the 9 casing. As best seen in Figure 3 eac partition at one corner is fashioned with a pair of spaced angularly disposed notches 15 instead of a leg and foot for co-action with s ecially formed features at one corner of t e casing.

In Figure 5 this special formation is disclosed at one corner of the casing where a pair of spaced posts 16 are used, each having an inturned, vertical flange 17 and these posts extend from the bottom to the top of the casing. The notches 15 of the several partitions correspond with these flanges and engage over the ed es of the flanges.

Between the partitions are arranged round glass plates as 18, 19, 20, and'21, preferably colored and retained in place ment of theiriree ed es with flanges 17 of'the uprig ts 16.

In the open corner of the casin between the two spaced posts 16 a lamp ho der 22 is carried. Thisholder is in the form of a rounded late to conform tothe rounded corners 0 posts 7 of the casing, and is fashioned with'edge flanges 22' for frictional engagementwith the'posts 16 of the casing. In the lamp holder is carried a series of electric la'mps as 23, 24, 25, and 26 spaced apart for location between adjoining partitions and the respective compartments at the top and bottom of thecasing, and partly surrounded by the rounded glass plates 18 etc. Electrical connections 27 are provided for the lamps and current is supplied to the lamps in suitable manner.

The lamps are thus carried by a detachb engagethe curved able holder or plate 22 which fits closelywithin the two posts 16 of the casing. The lower end of the holder is retained within a flange 28 projectin upwardly from the bottom 9 exterior of t e casing, and the upper end of the holder is retained within a top flange 29 on the lower edge ofthe top 8. By dotted lines in Fig. 2 the manner of inserting the holder in position is illustrated where it will be seen that the upper end of the holder is slipped within the casing and above overhanging flange 29 to permit the lower end ofthe holder to be passed over the lower flange 28. Then the holder is forced down with its lower edge within the flange 28, and the flanges 22 of the holder are retainedin close frictional contact with the flanges 17 of'tli'e posts 16 to secure the lamp holder in position;

The wires for the several lamps are distributed from the connection 27 up through the compartments to the respective lamps.

The lamps are of course selectively an mdependently controlled for the purpose of illuminating their respective indicators or signs, and the rays from an illumined lamp pass through the curved coloredplate to illuminate a single compartment, as for instance the lowermost or Stop compartment. Thus when the lamp 26 is illuminated its rays ass through the rounded glass late 21 w ich should be colored red, and t e entire area of the compartment is illumined together with the four signs Stop as a signal or warning to pedestrains, motorists and others. The other compartments and indicators are similarly and selectively illumined.

By this construction and arrangement of parts it will be obvious that the several constituent elements of the casing may be manufactured in standardized production and the several parts assembled with accuracy and convenience, and when repairs or changes in parts are necessary, these repairs or changes may be made with equal facility because of the simplicity of construction ofthe device and the assembly of its parts.

Havin thus fully described my invention what'I c aim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination with a signal casing of a series of superimposed horizontally removable artitions therein forming compartments said casing having a pair' of spaced upright posts forming an exterior vertical opening therein, a removable lamp holder a apted to close said opening, means. for retaining said holder, and lamps carried b said holder, one ofwhich is located in eac compartment.

2. The combination with a signal casing of a series of removable partitions therein forming compartments, each said partition comprising a platehaving spaced notches and supporting legs, a' pair of spaced upright posts formin an opening in the casing, and vertical anges on said posts for co-action with said notched plates, a lamp holder adapted to close the opening and having a lampin each compartment, and retamin means for said lamp holder.

3. T e combination with a signal casing, of a series of superimposed horizontally removable partitions forming compartments, each said artition comprising a plate having space notches and supporting legs, a pair of spaced upright posts forming an opening in the casing and vertical flanges on said posts for co-action with said notches, a removable lam holder adapted to close said opening, retainin means for the holder, lam s carried; by sai holder one of which is coated in each compartment, and a colored glassplate enclosing each lamp having its edges engaged by said vertical flanges.

4. The combination with a signal box, of a series of su rimposed, horizontally removable partit ons forming compartments, said partitions each having a corner with spaced notches and spaced supporting legs at other portions thereof, a pair of spaced posts forming an openin in the box, a lamp holder for closing sai openin and retaining means therefor, lamps carri v by said holder one of which is located in each compartment, flanges on the posts for engagement with sald notches, and a colored glass plate enclosing each lamp and serving to properly space the superimposed partitions at their otherwise unsupported corners.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

FRED M. YANSICKLE. 

